Pasco employees union leaders back contract proposal

Even as some people are making noise about withholding their approval, the United School Employees of Pasco representative council and executive boards have come out recommending support of the group's newly minted tentative contract agreements.

“Voting ‘YES’ is not an endorsement of the SB-736 state-mandated evaluation process. All Florida districts by law have to comply," USEP president Lynne Webb said in a statement. "Instead it’s recognition of the hard work and effort that our volunteer bargaining team members put in for ten months to bring as much fairness and equity to this inherently flawed law."

The groups also stressed that furlough days are for this school year only, and that the USEP representatives secured a deal from the district that if surplus funds remain at the end of the year, employees would be reimbursed for the furlough days before any money is applied to savings. The School Board met in executive session on Tuesday to discuss this agreement. No details of that meeting have been released.

"No one can claim to be happy about the settlement," Webb said. "But considering the horrible shortfall we faced this year, I believe the settlement is realistic."

The USEP will have three meetings to review the teacher evaluation Memorandum of Understanding with members before the ratification vote. These will be on Tuesday May 8th at the USEP office on Lake Patience Rd. in Land O’ Lakes, Thursday, May 10th at the Centennial Middle media center, and Tuesday, May 15th at the Gulf High cafeteria. Each will run from 5-6 p.m.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.